


After the Storm

by sinnerforhire



Series: ZooAmerica 'verse [2]
Category: Supernatural RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe, Harm to Animals, M/M, Zoo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-28
Updated: 2014-07-28
Packaged: 2018-02-10 19:37:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,198
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2037417
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sinnerforhire/pseuds/sinnerforhire
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Timestamp for <a href="http://sinnerforhire.livejournal.com/276095.html">It's All Happening at the Zoo</a>. Jared comforts Jensen after a tragic incident at work.</p>
            </blockquote>





	After the Storm

**Author's Note:**

> Just to give some info on the timeline, this takes place about five years after It's All Happening. Chronologically, this is the third fic in the timeline.

Jared opens the dryer and takes out Jensen's pajama pants and gray ZooAmerica sweatshirt. He hopes Jensen didn't run into any more trouble on the road since he last called ten minutes ago. But he must not have, because the garage door starts to open less than a minute later.

Jensen steps out of the car and Jared winces when he sees Jensen's sodden coat and mud-soaked pants. Jensen shakes his head. "Just—just don't, okay?"

"Okay," Jared agrees softly.

He helps Jensen out of his wet work clothes and bundles him up in his clean, warm flannel pants and sweatshirt. He tosses the wet stuff into the laundry room to deal with later. Jared takes Jensen's hand and silently leads him up the stairs to the living room.

"Can I tell you about my day?" asks Jared. Jensen nods and Jared starts toward the kitchen to get him a cup of the coffee Jared just finished brewing. "Hospitality's door didn't hold, so we lost all the hardware in there—computers, ticket printers, scanners, everything. Luckily we didn't have any ticket stock or inventory in there, or we'd have lost that too. As it is, I don't know where we're gonna find the money to replace that stuff."

Jared hands Jensen the mug of coffee. Jensen takes it with trembling fingers and presses both hands to the sides for warmth. He takes a few sips and sets the mug down on the coffee table. Then he seizes the remote control and hurls it as hard as he can against the back of the couch. "God _damn_ it! Fucking corporate bastards!" The remote bounces off the cushion and clatters across the floor, finally coming to rest against the leg of the TV stand.

"It's not your fault," Jared says gently. "You guys did the best you could, under the circumstances." He wraps his arms around Jensen's shoulders and presses their foreheads together. Jensen buries his face in Jared's neck and starts to cry. Warm tears seep onto Jared's shirt collar. He doesn't care at all. He can't do much for Jensen, but he can do this.

Jensen takes a few deep, ragged breaths and steps back, shrugging off Jared's embrace. He scrubs a hand across his eyes, wiping away the last remnants of tears. "Who called you?"

"Officially, Kripke," answers Jared. "Matt went down to help out at Hospitality so I took the call. But Sam, Jeff, and Jim all called me after you left." Jensen rolls his eyes. "They're your friends. They were worried about you."

"I'll be fine," Jensen replies, not meeting Jared's eyes.

Jared grasps Jensen's shoulder and guides him to the couch. He sits down next to Jensen and places a hand on his knee. "For what it's worth, I'm sorry. I'm sorry you had to go through that."

Jensen nods, eyes still cast downward. "It all happened so fast," he says hoarsely. "I mean, we knew the creek was gonna go. It was just a matter of time. But when it did…Jesus, it was practically instantaneous. It couldn't have been more than five minutes from when the water first came in till they were overcome." His voice breaks on the last word.

"So you saw it all?" Geez, no wonder he's so messed up.

"I'd just come back from dropping the wolves off," he said. "I was gonna drive the trailer over once we got them out, so yeah, I was there, waiting." He swallows hard. "God, they were terrified. You could see it on their faces. I hate that that was the last thing they experienced. They didn't deserve that."

"No, they didn't," Jared agrees.

"I mean, bison are stubborn, that's a given, but they couldn't help it. They were scared out of their minds." Jensen blinks back tears. "If Corporate had just given us the okay when we fucking asked for it this morning…"

"You guys did what you could. This isn't on you, it's on them." Jared tips Jensen's chin up and forces him to meet his eyes. "This was not your fault. I'm gonna keep saying it until you believe it."

Jensen jerks his head out of Jared's grasp. "Doesn't make it feel any better," he murmurs, looking down at his hands.

Jared sighs. "I know it doesn't. It's gonna take time. You're grieving, Jen. This is a big loss, for all of you." He edges closer to Jensen and stretches an arm around his shoulders. He draws Jensen in and kisses his forehead. Jensen sags into him and Jared tries to will his own strength into his distraught boyfriend.

"At least they're closing the zoo for the rest of the week," said Jared. "You won't have to go back there for a while."

Jensen shakes his head. "In a way, that's almost worse," he rasps. "At least then, we'd all be together. We'd have each other."

"You have me," Jared reminds him. "For as long as you need me."

"It's not the same." Jensen sniffles. "You never worked directly with the animals. You don't know what it's like. You can't."

"You're right, I can't," replies Jared. "All I can do is be here for you."

Jensen nods. He picks up the coffee cup and takes a few long sips. Then he sinks back into the couch and closes his eyes. "This day feels like it's lasted a week already."

"You really should go get a shower," says Jared. He runs a hand through Jensen's damp hair. "Get warmed up. I'll make soup."

"I don't need soup. I'm not sick," grumbles Jensen. He opens one eye to glare at Jared.

"You had one hell of a rough day. You need comfort food," Jared tells him. "I think I have all the stuff to make macaroni and cheese."

The corners of Jensen's mouth turn up in a half-hearted attempt at a smile. "That sounds great, actually."

Jared grins and grasps Jensen's wrists to pull him to his feet. "Go shower. You smell like a wet dog."

"Blame the wolves," says Jensen. "It could be worse. You don't even wanna know what the elk smell like when they get wet."

"Who transported them?" asks Jared.

Jensen smirks. "Misha. He had to transport the deer too. We'll never get that smell out of the trailer."

Jared places a hand on Jensen's back. "No more kisses till you're clean. Go." He nudges Jensen in the direction of the bathroom.

"Aw, you're no fun," complains Jensen, but he's grinning for real this time.

Jared turns on the oven and takes the milk out of the refrigerator. He winces as he hears three loud sneezes through the closed bathroom door. Jared decides to make soup after all, and places the milk back into the fridge and pulls out celery, carrots, and onions instead. Yeah, Jensen will bitch about him being an overbearing mother hen, and impugn his masculinity, but deep down he'll be grateful. Jared knows he'll be in for a rough few days with a grumpy, miserable Jensen on his hands, but he doesn't care. He'll always be there for Jensen, no matter what.

They'll get through this together, just like they always do.


End file.
